1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to key pads and cameras, and more particularly to operations where key pad data and camera data occur together and share electronics in devices.
2. Background Information
Key pads and cameras are often found in mobile or cell phones. Typically input/output (I/O) operations of the two are sent over separate and unique interfaces. The data from the keypad and the camera may be sent in parallel or in serial fashion, but in prior art applications, the data from the keypad and the camera are not multiplexed or interleaved. In many cell phones these keypad and camera I/O signals are sent over a flexible hinge cable used in flip or slider cell phones but on separate wires.
Typical micro-processors in cell phone and other hand held devices include a parallel interface to a keypad that traversed the flexible hinge. Cameral signals also traverse the hinge on other wires. It would be more efficient if the wires in the hinge carried keypad interleaved with camera data.
In would be advantageous to reduce the number of wires or lines sent across flex cable, and the present invention provides for a reduced number of lines that need to traverse the hinge.